Info about the Hostess Brands (it's not the unions)

This isn't an old established company that has run into trouble after years because of the nasty unions.
It is an overleveraged venture capitol op. that has been in bankruptcy for most of it's existence.

From Wiki:
Bankruptcy (2004)

On September 22, 2004, Interstate Bakeries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company also named a new chief executive, Tony Alvarez. Interstate Bakery's stock, which had been at one time $34/share, fell to $2.05/share as they declared bankruptcy. At the time it was the longest bankruptcy in U.S. history. During bankruptcy, Interstate fought a 2007 bid from Mexican baked goods giant Grupo Bimbo and Ron Burkle of the Yucaipa Companies.

With the leadership of Craig Jung, the company emerged from bankruptcy as a private company on February 3, 2009. The plan included a 50 percent equity stake by Ripplewood Holdings and lines/loans by General Electric Capital and GE Capital Markets, Silver Point Finance and Monarch Master Funding. Interstate's union workers made contract concessions in exchange for equity.

During the 2004–2009 bankruptcy period, Interstate closed nine of its 54 bakeries and more than 300 outlet stores. Interstate's work force declined from 32,000 to 22,000 employees. The company also dropped some regional brands and operating agreements, such as the agreement to produce Sunbeam Bread for the northeastern U.S. (now produced by LePage Bakeries of Auburn, Maine).
Hostess Brands, Inc. (2009)

Effective November 2, 2009, the company was renamed Hostess Brands, Inc. after the cake division that featured Twinkies and cupcakes. Hostess continues its bread lines, including Wonder Bread.
Bankruptcy and liquidation (2012)

By December 2011 it was reported that Hostess Brands was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy a second time after it suspended payments for union pensions and was struggling to remain current on its $700 million loan.

On January 10, 2012, Hostess Brands filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy for the second time. In a statement in its filing, the company said it "is not competitive, primarily due to legacy pension and medical benefit obligations and restrictive work rules." The company said it employs 19,000 people and carries more than $860 million in debt. The company said it would continue to operate with $75 million debtor-in-possession financing from Monarch Alternative Capital, Silver Point Capital and other investors.

Television talk show hostess Wendy Williams started a "Save The Twinkie" publicity campaign shortly after the bankruptcy filing. The campaign included promotions on The Wendy Williams Show.

In March 2012, Brian Driscoll resigned from his position as CEO. Gregory Rayburn, who had been hired and named Chief Restructuring Officer only nine days earlier, assumed the leadership position. Fortune reported that unions within the organization had been unhappy with Driscoll's proposed compensation package of $1.5 million, plus cash incentives and a $1.95 million "long term compensation" package. Additionally, the court had discovered that Hostess executives had received raises of up to 80% the year prior. In an effort to restore relations, Rayburn cut the salaries of the four top Hostess executives to $1, to be restored on January 1 the following year.

In July 2012, the New York Post reported that negotiations (lead by Silver Point Capital) with the Teamsters Union were close to a possible agreement that could allow Hostess Brands to cut employee pay and benefits, if the company maintained funding of existing pension plans. In May, all 19,000 workers had been warned (as required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) that they could face a mass layoff. In an email to the Appeal-Democrat Hostess spokesman Erik Halvorson said that the May notices were to alert employees to possible sale or wind down of the company, but that "our goal is still to emerge from bankruptcy as a growing company with a strong future." These layoff notices listed the dates as July 7–21, but on July 5 another company spokesman told the Financial News & Daily Record that there were no immediate plans to start laying off Hostess employees.

In November 2012, Hostess employees nationwide went on strike. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union, which represents 6,600 Hostess employees, took the strike action after the latest contract proposal from Hostess Brands was rejected by 92 percent of its members. In response, Hostess Brands issued the following statement: "A widespread strike will cause Hostess brands to liquidate if we are unable to produce or deliver products. If that's the case, the company will move promptly to lay off most of its 18,300-member workforce and focus on selling its assets to the highest bidders. We urge our employees to remain on the job to rebuild the company."

On November 16, 2012, Hostess announced that it was ceasing plant operations and laying off most of its 18,500 employees. It stated that it intended to sell off all of its assets, including the well known brand names, and liquidate. The CEO, Gregory F. Rayburn stated, "Hostess Brands will move promptly to lay off most of its 18,500-member workforce and focus on selling its assets to the highest bidders."

8. So what happened between July and November?

9. My guess is

that the company was leveraged to much and with slowing sales, they could not make enough to service the debt they piled on.
So they want to screw the workers out of their benefits to keep as much as they can for themselves.

13. You can be sure that the company was already planning

to liquidate. This had nothing to do with the union or the strike, that was just the excuse that they needed to make the announcement. I worked for a company that did this same thing---plans had been in effect to close the company for two years, but they pushed the employees to the point of a strike, at which time they said they were closing instead of meeting the union demands. This was orchestrated then as it is now. That was in the 1970's.....nothing changes. Blame the poor, blame the unions, blame anyone but the people who are responsible for making the decisions.

31. They have no real stake in the company

they come out ahead if it succeeds or fails. If it succeeds they sell it for a profit, if it fails they make $ off of the bankruptcy.
And it is never their money to begin with.
A rigged game all around.

33. Well, dammit

while grocery shopping yesterday, Hostess products were on sale 2 for $5.00. My family appreciated me picking up a box of Twinkies and those yummy chocolate cupcakes with the white curlicue icing.

How about some wealthy, pro-union, soulful person (maybe Warren Buffet?) stepping up and buying the company tout suite, retaining the workforce and continuing to put out an all-American product that's withstood the test of time.